1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to games of chance. More particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus and method for selecting a set of integers from a predetermined sequence of numbers based upon the frequency each integer was chosen in the previous years lottery.
2. Background Information
Many of our states have legalized state operated lotteries to satisfy the gaming instincts of its citizenry and to attempt to slow the periodic trips to large legal gambling centers such as Atlantic City. Generally, these lotteries provide a game in which a player selects a small set of numbers or integers from a predetermined larger sequence of numbers. For example, in the lottery game of one state, the highest integer of the predetermined sequence might be 36, whereas in the lottery game of another state, the highest integer of the sequence may be 47. The player is typically required to pick 5 or 6 different integers from the predetermined sequence of integers depending upon the number of integers in the sequence.
The selection of the 6 integers by the patron is often a problem and may include superstitions such as choosing numbers by birthdate, house number, or even through the zodiac. To aid patrons in choosing the numbers they wish to use, states often provide some method of "quick pick" wherein the computer automatically, and randomly chooses numbers for the patron. In so providing; however, much of the mystique surrounding the art of gaming is lost, and playing the lottery becomes akin to playing slot machines. In an alternative to either the random choice by the computer, or to the implementation of superstitions, a set of dice, such as those to be described, may be employed.
Use of dice in selecting a set of lottery integers would seem to have an inherent appeal to a large segment of lottery players for a number of reasons. On the one hand, many lottery players are probably attracted by the gambling element of lotteries. These players are familiar and comfortable with using dice in other forms of gambling. On the other hand, other lottery players may be responding to the recreational element of lotteries. These players are familiar and comfortable with the use of dice in number and turn selection in many recreational games.
Different devices for assisting players in integer selection, for playing lotteries and games of chance, are known in the prior art. Some representative prior art devices are those disclosed in Lang, U.S. Pat. No. 604,401; L. P. Bott, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 1,561,592; Dery, U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,190; Fischer, U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,175; Schiechl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,040; and Sanditen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,915. The U.S. patents to Sanditen, Freitas and Fischer disclose non cubic dice, while the U.S. patents to Lang, Bott and Dery each have cubic surface arrangement, but with different integer patterns. In all dice sets but Schiechl, each die contains more than one integer, and in the latter, each die has only one integer but these integers are not weighted statistically as to enhance the prospects of anticipating numbers actually drawn in the lottery game with each weighted subset of integers being signified by a separate color.
As the diversity of prior art dice sets of the above identified patents demonstrate, much thought and effort has gone into creating a dice set that will accomplish the dual objective of permitting the player to have fun while, at the same time, objectively selecting a set of lottery integers or numbers. However, there has been little effort to provide a set of dice that provide a random selection of integers from the predetermined sequence while simultaneously providing a statistically weighted method of choosing numbers more likely to appear. Moreover, the prior art dice sets are overly complex in appearance, and too expensive to fabricate in such a manner as to assure perfect symmetry. Lastly, these dice sets often require multiple rolls to pick the final set of integers as in Schiechl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,013,040.